"Throughout history, across many centuries and an enormous range of cultures, certain communities have stood out as bastions of creativity and intellectual progress. From ancient Athens to the vibrant American jazz scene of the 20th century, these seemingly disparate enclaves actually share a set of defining characteristics that hold considerable relevance for modern businesses. "The Hothouse Effect" examines the dynamics of several such communities, or "creative hothouses," and identifies the factors that drove their unusual creative fervor. Case studies of contemporary businesses, plus interviews with executives, illustrate clearly how the nurturing of creative drive can lead directly to more innovative products, revolutionized processes, and dramatic improvements in results. This valuable book also offers practical tools for assessing creativity in any organization, then implementing the results of the assessment toward building the creative hothouse effect that will drive innovation, productivity, and results well into the future."